The Rams’ secondary is getting a fresh look, and it lines up neatly with what Chris Shula does best.
Los Angeles has spent the past couple of years trying to patch up its pass coverage after moving on from Jalen Ramsey following the 2022 season. Ramsey let the rest of the defense breathe a little easier because he could shadow a receiver on his own, which opened the door for the Rams to commit help elsewhere. Now, with cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson in the mix, the Rams can get back to leaning on one-on-one coverage with a lot more confidence.
That matters because it changes the shape of the whole defense, especially for safety Kam Kinchens. The Athletic’s Nate Atkins already pointed out the ripple effect during OTAs, writing:
" The environment is simply different this season.McDuffie and Watson add not just physical coverage players to the two outside spots but also elite run defenders. Their additions can give Kinchens and the Rams coaching staff the confidence to deploy the free safety more in ways that play to his strengths, which are his coverage instincts and ball skills.
And with the arrival of Garrett, the reigning all-time single-season sack leader, Kinchens should be able to play downhill on tips and overthrows from distressed quarterbacks, which can help him get back to the turnover creation that made him exciting as a rookie."
Kinchens is one obvious winner here, but he’s not the only one who stands to benefit.
Shula’s defense forced 26 turnovers in 2025, which ranked fifth in the NFL, and a stronger secondary should give that number a real chance to climb. Re-elevating Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough would help, especially after McCollough tied Kinchens for the team lead in picks two years ago.
The bigger picture is simple: Shula knows how to create havoc. Over the last two seasons, his defense has produced 46 takeaways, and only former Rams DC Wade Phillips has done a better job of manufacturing that kind of disruption.
McDuffie and Watson weren’t turnover machines in Kansas City, but that isn’t really the point. If they can lock down the outside, everything else gets easier. Receivers will see less separation, quarterbacks will be forced into tighter windows, and the safeties will have more freedom to hunt throws and jump lanes.
For Shula, that’s the fun part. The Rams’ new-look back end gives him a lot more to work with, and a lot more ways to keep offenses guessing.
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